Tapia Park resides inside of Malibu Creek State Park, just 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, features hiking, fishing, bird watching, mountain biking, rock climbing and horseback riding opportunities.
Fourteen-mile Malibu Creek is the principal watercourse of the Santa Monica Mountains that ends at Malibu Lagoon. There are 15 miles of streamside trail through oak and sycamore woodlands on chaparral-covered slopes. Following the trail along Malibu Creek, the visitor will be treated to spectacular vistas, including volcanic rock gorges, scenic pools, and breathtaking views of the Las Virgenes Valley and Malibu Canyon.
Culturally, this area was the center of Chumash Native American life for centuries. One of the park's most significant points of interest is the Sepulveda Adobe, which was constructed in 1863 on what had been part of an early Spanish land grant. This historic structure was restored in 2003 and is now open to the public. In the early 1900's another adobe was built along Malibu Creek by Johnny Mott, a famous LA attorney. With only the dramatic stone fireplace left standing, it is known today as the Mott Adobe ruins. Perhaps the most prominent frequent guest at the Mott Adobe was President Herbert Hoover.
Previous to being opened to the public in 1976, the park was used extensively to film numerous movies and TV shows, such as Planet of the Apes and M*A*S*H. Most of the park's land holdings were donated by Bob Hope, with later significant acquisitions from Ronald Reagan and 20th Century Fox.
Popular trails and hikes:
- Rock Pool (easy)
- M*A*S*H site (easy)
- Malibu Lake Trail (moderate)
